Whether you are a conservative investor, income investor or everyday investor — and regardless of risk profile — it is almost a requirement to have at least one “dividend aristocrat” in your portfolio. Dividend aristocrats are companies that not only have been paying dividends, but doing so for at least 25 years straight, and that have been raising those dividends every single year. Right away, then, you know you are not only dealing with successful companies, but companies who have survived the best of times and the worst of times.
Success breeds success. As more people buy dividend aristocrats, their stock price rises. Here are three dividend aristocrats to consider for your portfolio, no matter what kind of investor you are: It sports one of the lowest yields at 1.15%, but Ecolab (ECL) has been paying dividends for thirty years. I’m also a big fan of Genuine Parts (GPC). It’s just about the largest distributor of auto and industrial replacement parts in the country. What could be better than investing in a company that’s been around since 1883? How about investing in a paint and coating company called PPG Industries (PPG)?